Oral delivery of medications is one of the most frequent techniques utilized for delivering medication to the body. One of the most popular delivery mechanisms is the capsule. The background of U.S. Pat. No. 8,361,497 issued to Miller provides a detailed description into the history and present techniques for capsule manufacture and is hereby incorporated by reference.
Capsules containing medication for oral intake are usually swallowed for delivery of the medication to the stomach, where the capsule dissolves within 20 to 30 minutes and the medication is absorbed into the bloodstream.
A two piece capsule design is typically used for delivering medication in a solid form such as a fine powder or pellets. One or both portions of this capsule design are made of a material which quickly becomes mollified when coming in contact with liquid, such as water or gastric juice.
With respect to capsular delivery of liquid medication such as nitroglycerin, the capsule design is sealed and having no orifices. This type of design essentially encapsulates the medication until the capsular wall is dissolved in the gastro-intestinal tract; thereafter releasing the medication into the body for absorption. The composition of the capsular wall used for liquid containment is different than that used for medication in a non-liquid form.